A printing unit of this general type is known from WO 95/24314 A1. Four blanket-to-blanket printing units are arranged vertically, one above another, and can be moved horizontally, relative to one another, in the area of their blanket-to-blanket printing positions. To accomplish this movement, the printing units situated on the same side of the web are each mounted within a common frame. At least one of the frames can be moved horizontally.
EP 12 64 686 A1 discloses a printing unit with blanket-to-blanket printing units arranged vertically one above another. The printing group cylinders are mounted in a center frame section, and two inking units are each mounted in outer frame sections. These outer frame sections can be moved horizontally, relative to the center frame section, in order to introduce plate-handling devices into the space between them, as needed.
From DE 22 34 089 C3, a web-fed offset rotary printing press is known. A panel section, having multiple printing groups, can be moved relative to a panel section having the corresponding impression cylinders. The printing group cylinders and their allocated inking units are mounted together as units in this panel section in such a manner that they can be moved or can be removed.
In DE 43 27 278 C2, a printing unit having a structural configuration of a side frame is disclosed. Transfer cylinders and forme cylinders, of a specific circumferential format, are rotatably mounted in the side frame, and specific modular inking units from various types of inking units can be used, as required.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,557,381 shows a printing unit that can be flexibly equipped for various printing processes and in various numbers of printing positions. In each case, the inking units and the printing group cylinders are arranged, one above another, in the form of a tower, and as such can be moved toward one another and/or away from one another. Different types and different numbers of printing units and inking units or inking systems can be selectively used in a standard frame.
From EP 02 46 081 A2 there is shown a printing unit having multiple modular units, each such unit containing the printing cylinders of a printing group, and containing units configured as inking units. The inking units are horizontally adjustable, relative to the printing cylinders, for the purpose of their activation and deactivation, and can be placed vertically in contact with different printing groups, such as, for example, with different printing groups of different print lengths. The modular units that contain the printing cylinders can be interchanged, as needed, with modular units of other printing lengths.
DE 102 02 385 A1 shows a drive train between the cylinders of a printing group with variable printing lengths. Two intermediate gears are arranged between cylindrical spur gears that do not mesh with one another.
In EP 06 99 524 B1, drive trains for printing units are disclosed. In one embodiment, a paired drive for the printing group cylinders is accomplished with a single motor via enmeshed spur gears.
In WO 03/039872 A1, printing group cylinders are disclosed. In one embodiment, the cylinders are actuated in pairs by a drive motor, and the transmission that couples the two cylinders in each pair is enclosed in its own housing.
DE 195 34 651 A1 discloses a printing unit with cylinders that lie in a single plane. Three of four cylinders are mounted such that they are movable in a linear fashion along the cylinder plane for print-on or print-off adjustment. The mounting is accomplished using guide elements which are arranged on the inner panel of the frame. The cylinders are seated in supports on the shared guide elements, and can be engaged against one another or disengaged from one another by working cylinders which are actuated with pressure medium.
In WO 02/081218 A2, individual linear bearings for two transfer cylinders, each mounted in sliding frames, are known. An actuator for the sliding frames can be configured as a cylinder that can be acted upon by pressure medium. In order to define an end position, for the adjusting movement extending crosswise to the cylinder plane, an adjustable stop is provided.